The disclosure concerns a method of moving killed fish in a pipe or pipeline, and a system for the same.
In particular, the disclosed embodiments concern use of controlled water flow by means of supply of pressurized air and/or water pressure for moving killed fish in a pipe or a pipeline, to provide transport of fish in combination with bleeding and/or cooling. Moreover, the disclosed embodiments concern use of pressurized air and/or water pressure to form air/water partitions which creates zones within the pipe or pipeline having different properties for propulsion of fish there through, controlled distribution of fish in the pipe or pipeline, including controlled retention time and hence controlled bleeding and/or cooling of fish being transported.
NO310951 B1, NO315632 B1 and NO307361 describe that fish, after being throat cut, is forwarded to bleeding in a tank or chamber/container, in which the fish also can be cooled and flushed/washed. In other words, containers or chambers where the fish can get rid of the blood and die after being throat cut.
NO310951 B1 (SOTRA MASKIN & PROSJEKTERING AS) concerns a plant for slaughtering fish. A bleeding chamber is provided with vanes/transport walls which controls the retention time of the fish in the tank.
NO315632 B1 (Svein Olav Fjaera et. al.) concerns a method of handling fish, farmed fish, from delivery to slaughtering and bleeding. The bleeding fish is forwarded in the bleeding chamber with cooled water, by means of carriers on an endless band. It is considered advantageous that the fish is cooled in living state before it is throat cut.
NO307361 B1 (Melbu Tech AS) concerns a cylindrical slaughtering/cooling tank. Its internal part is provided with a gate rotating about a vertical axis, having radially extending walls dividing the tank volume in sectorial chambers. Fish residing in the chambers can be lifted out of the tank by a loose liftable bottom section. The tank can be provided with cooling.
Disadvantages of the prior art include, among other things, that the fish cannot be handled while residing in these tanks/chambers/vessels. In addition, these tanks/chambers/vessels are space demanding and are not flexible with regard to area adaptation. Moreover, these tanks/chambers/vessels have the disadvantage that they are demanding with respect to cleaning, and will in addition exhibit limited capacity.
Moreover, prior art makes use of mechanical carriers, which involves physical affection on the fish, which again can damage fish.
Moreover, complicated lifting devices are often required to take the fish out of these tanks/chambers/vessels again, which increases both cost and maintenance.
It is accordingly a need to provide a method and a system for a more effective and gentle handling of fish than is possible by prior art, which in particular enables transport combined with bleeding and/or cooling.
It is also a need to provide a method and a system which is less space demanding than prior art and which is flexible in view of area adaptation.
It is also a need to provide a method and a system where fish is transported without physical contact with the fish.